Why we must vote

PHILADELPHIA IS IN TROUBLE. Not because of toxic political infighting that pits one neighborhood against another, but because of its strained relationship with the state.

To a certain extent, this is nothing new. There has long been an anti-Philadelphia bias in Harrisburg, and nearly a decade of hyper-partisanship has widened the divide. Despite all that, Philadelphia has always been able to receive its just due from the state. After all, our city, when combined with our immediate suburbs and Allegheny County, accounts for more than a third of Pennsylvania’s revenue.

In recent years, however, things have changed. The state, in many ways, has become more of an adversary than an ally, and while some blame cultural or political differences for this phenomenon, there is a more practical explanation. Philadelphia, which is home to 1-in-8 Pennsylvania voters, doesn’t vote in large enough numbers in statewide elections. We must change that beginning with the gubernatorial primaries this May. If we don’t, we may once again find ourselves living out a cold political truth: Elections have consequences.